Block data transfer protocols for storage typically utilize some form of the SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) protocol. For example, a number of presently-implemented fabric storage, clustering, or grid storage systems utilize an intermediate device. In these systems, the intermediate device typically accepts a storage request (input/output (I/O) request) from a host/server and generates separate storage (I/O) requests to a plurality of associated target devices. If the protocols used within these I/O requests are SCSI-based protocols, each target device will control the data transfer phase to the intermediate device of the respective I/O request which it receives. For instance, if the I/O requests are read requests, the target devices will control the transfer of data from the target devices to the intermediate device. Typically, the intermediate device, upon receiving the requested data from the targets will buffer the data and transmit the buffered data to the host/server, thus requiring the intermediate device to maintain large amounts of memory. This buffering of data is sometimes referred to as “Store and Forward”. However, systems implementing current SCSI protocol, as described above, often suffer from buffering inefficiency and therefore, decreased performance. Further, such systems often fail to fully utilize the bandwidth potential of the connection medium which connects the devices of the system.
Therefore, it may be desirable to have a system and method for implementing a storage protocol which addresses the above-referenced problems and limitations of the current solutions.